Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s ambassadorial nomination: A step too soon, too close, and too damaging

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the immediate past Chairman of INEC, for an ambassadorial position—barely two years after he supervised the very election that brought this administration to power. Nigeria’s democracy is already fragile. Perception matters just as much as process. Even where no explicit “cool-off” period is stipulated in law, some roles carry a clear moral obligation. The head of an electoral umpire sits at the top of that list. This nomination may be legal, but it is profoundly wrong. Why it violates the spirit of democratic ethics: 1. Erosion of public trust. A referee cannot finish a match today and join the winning team tomorrow. Even if nothing improper occurred, the optics alone damage confidence in our electoral system. 2. Democratic institutions rely on credibility, not convenience. INEC’s legitimacy is rooted in the perception of neutrality. When the man who oversaw an election is rewarded by its beneficiary so quickly, it reinforces suspicions that the process was compromised. 3. Timing magnifies the problem. Nigerians have seen former INEC officers enter government before—but never this soon, and never directly into the government whose election they conducted. This immediacy turns what might have been a normal career move into a troubling political transaction. 4. It sends a dangerous precedent. Future INEC chairpersons may begin to view elections as pathways to political appointments. At that point, neutrality is dead. 5. It undermines the sacrifices of millions who demand credible elections. Citizens queued in the sun, faced insecurity, and trusted the system. This nomination feels like an affirmation that their trust was misplaced. Why Prof. Mahmood Yakubu should decline the appointment 1. To protect his own legacy. His name is already contested in the public square. Accepting this posting confirms the worst suspicions. Declining it could help recover part of his standing. 2. To defend the integrity of the institution he once led. INEC cannot become a recruitment pipeline for the ruling party. He owes INEC that much. 3. To show that leadership still carries a moral dimension. Public office is not just about what is permissible; it is about what is proper. Declining the appointment would send a powerful message that ethical boundaries still matter. 4. To strengthen Nigeria’s democracy. Nigeria needs a culture where public officials willingly place national trust above personal gain. This is one such moment.

A final word Nigerians are not naïve. They know the nature of their elections. But this nomination is unusually bold—almost mocking the public’s demand for cleaner electoral processes. It rubs salt in an open wound. If Nigeria is to rebuild confidence in its institutions, actions like this must be resisted, questioned, and repudiated. Prof. Yakubu still has one honourable option: decline the appointment.

Mohammed K Santuraki FCIoD, FNIM, is the Chairman of CIoD’s Subcommittee on Evaluation & Ethics

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